Air conditioner



AIR CONDITIONER Filed May 11, 1923 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ORA"F.-METZ, OF PASO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO ALLIS-OHALMERS MANUFACTURIKG' COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF, DELAWABE' am commrronnn Application filed Kay 11, 1923.. Serial No. 638,161.

This invention relates in general to improvements in the art of conditioning gases, and relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of air purifying and humidifying devices or the An object of the invention is, to providean air conditioner which. is simple in construction and eflicient in operation. Another ob- 1o jeqt of the invention is to provide a combined air purifier and humidifier which is contmu ous and automatic in operation. A further object of the invention is to provide an air conditioner operable by the flow of air induced by the suction of an internal combustion engine or the like. .Still another object of the invention is to provide an air condi-- tioning device operable in conjunction with the propellingmotor of a tractor or an automobile, which may be conveniently installed, readily maintained in efiicient operation, and rapidl dismantled for inspection and cleaning. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in 26 the course of the following description.

A clear conception of several embodiments of the invention and of the operation of gas conditioning'devices constructed in accordance therewith may be had, by referring to the drawings accompanying and-formin a part of this specification. in which like re. er ence characters designate the samefor similar arts in-th'e several views.

1g. 1 is apartsectional'side'vicw'of an.

improved v airconditioning device.

- Fig. 2 is affragmentary part sectionalside view of another form ofimpr'oved air con ditioning device. i i

Fig.- 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the disposition of the airconditioner relatively toa flow producing device.

T The. form of air conditioner specifically illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises in general an outer casing 2 of cylindrical form having a liquid basin 8 in the lower portion thereof, a liquid supply tank 3 located, adjacent to ,the casing 2 and communicating with the liquid basin 8 through a liquid supply pipe 5, and a conditioned gas discharge pipe 6 comto municating with the interior of the casing produce whirling motion of the entering gas. A cover 22 is detachably secured to and closes 2. The n per portion of the casing 2 is provided witi a plurality of inlet openings 7 which may if desired be disposed tangential-' 1y relatively to the main casing in order to the upper extremity of the casing 2 and pro vides a support for a series of depending annular'walls 9, 10, 11. The outermost annular wall 9 is located closely adjacent to the interior of the main casing 2 and. extends downwardly in close proximit to the interior of the main casing 2, the lower end of the wall Qbeing preferably located slightly above-thelevel of the liquid in the basin 8.] The intermediate wall 10 projects downwardlyinto the liquid inthe basin 8 and may be provided with an annular wick projecting upwardly from the liquid basin 8 and in close proximity to the inner'surface of the wall 9. The upper portion of the intermediatev wall 10 is provided with a series of gas conducting openings 17 The inner depending wall 11 extends downwardly in close proximity to the interior of the intermediate wall l0 and has its lower end preferably located slightly above the level of the liquid in the basin 8. The lower extremitiesof the depending walls 9 and 11 may however extend slightly below the level of the liquid in the basin 8. The space within the wall 11 cominunicates directly with the discharge pipe 6- which is showh as being attached to the cover 22.

The portion of the main casing 2 below the liquid basin 8, is provided with an impuri ties collecting receptacle 13 which may be made of any desired capacity dependingupon the use to which the apparatus is to be put. The receptacle 13 is provided with a discharge valve 14: for effecting removal of accumulated impurities and for permitting drainage of the liquid from the basin 8. The basin8is also referably provided with a heat ingmeansor evice 15 comprising a source of heat and pipes communicating with portions of the basin 8 located at different level whereby circulation of the liquid from within the basin 8 through the heating device may be effected automatically. When the apparatus The reservoir 3 may be filled by removal of the supply plug 16 and the discharge of liquid from the reservoir 3 is automatically controlled by removal of liquid from the basin 8 although the plug valve 12 located in the pipe 5 provides additional means for controlling the discharge of liquid from the reservoir 3 tothe basin 8. The liquid level in the basin 8 is ordinarily maintained automatically but an overflow 21 is preferably provided in order to prevent undesirable rising of the liquid.

The conditioned gas discharge pipe 6 communicates with flow producing means 4 as shown in'Fig. 3, for inducing a flow of gas through the conditioner. When utilizing the apparatus in connection with an internal combustion engine, the flow inducing means 5 may consist of the engine itself, although a pump or any other form of flow producing means may be substituted.

In the modified form of air conditioner disclosed in Fig. 2, the structure of Fig. 1 is substantially duplicated, but in addition an annular wick 18 is located within the interior annular wall 11. The Wick 18 may be sus pended from the wall 11 by means of supports 20 and preferably extends below the level of the liquid in the basin 8 and closely adjacent to the inner surface of the wall 11. The conditioner disclosed in Fig. 2, is also provided with a cone bafile 19 located within the liquid reservoir 8 and serving to prevent upward withdrawal of impurities from within the receptacle 13 in case the liquid in the basin 8 is not properly maintained.

During normal operation of the conditioner disclosed in Fig. 1, a continuous flow of air through the device is being maintained by the flow producing means 4. The liquid basin 8 is filled to the level indicated and the annular wick associated with the intermediate partition 10-is maintained in moist condition by capillary attraction of liquid from the basin 8. The liquid in the basin 8 is being heated by the heating device 15, the degree of heating of this liquid being controllable by means of a check valve in the pipe line associated with the heating device. The

heating of the liquid may in some instances] be carried on to the extent of producing vaa; por above the basin 8, such operation being desirable when operating in conjunction with gasoline or kerosene engines. Atmospheric air enters the upper portion of the main casing 2 through the inlet openings 7 and is immediately deflected downwardly toward the surface of the liquid in the basin 8. by

'ditioned state.

means of the outer annular bafiie wall 9. As the air approaches the heated liquid in the basin 8, its direction of travel is abrqptly reversed from downward to upward. uring such reversal of flow most of the impurities contained in the air are discharged from the moving current and are deposited in the liquid of the basin 8. The separated im urities settle in the collecting receptacle 13 below the basin 8, from which the accumulated impurities may be withdrawn at in tervals by means of the discharge valve 14. The current of air passing along the surface of the heated liquid in the basin 8 and subsequently traveling upwardly along the surface of the wetted wick l0, automatically absorbs more or less liquid dependin upon the extent of heating of the liquid. 11 traveling upwardly along the outer surface of the annular wick secured to the intermediate Wall 10, the air besides having its humidity increased, is further cleaned by deposition of particles of impurities upon the wetted surface of the wick. As the current of air reaches the upper portion of the intermediate .wall 10, its direction of flow is again reversed while passing through the openings 17 into the annular space between the walls 10, 11. The air in moving downwardly between the walls 10, 11 eventually again impinges against the surface of the heated liquid in the basin 8 and againhas its direction of'fiow abruptly reversed from downward to upward. The final conditioning is effected during this latter reversal and the conditioned air is drawn off through the discharge pipe 6. The impurities removed during final cleaning likewise settle into the re ceptacle 13 from which the accumulated impurities are removable as heretofore indicat ed. In this manner the air entering the cleaner in a continuous stream is automatically cleaned and humidified and is delivered to the discharge pipe 6 in a properly con- The operation of the cleaner disclosed in Fig. 2 is substantially similar to that of the device disclosed in Fig. .1, except that the final conditioning is effected by the second annular wick- 18 which is likewise maintained in wetted condition by capillary attraction. In the modified device, the separated impurities which settle in" the liquid basin 8. descend along the upper surface of the cone bafiie'19 and pass into the collecting receptacle 13 through the annular gap between the periphery of the baflle 19 and the conical bottom of the casing 2.

As the air current continues to flow along y the surfaces of the basin 8 and of the wetted wicks, considerable of the liquid is evaporated thereby continually reducing the level of the liquid in the basin 8. This evaporation of liquid produces proper humidity of the air passing through the apparatus. As

the level of the liquid in the basin 8 is lowered below the up er edge of the liquid supply opening of t e pipe 5, air percolates through the liquid in the ipe 5 and in the supply receptacle 3 and is discharged into the space above the liquid in the sealed receptacle 3. The air thus admitted above the liquid in the sealed receptacle 3 causes liquid to flow from the receptacle 3 through the pipe 5 into the basin 8. The liquid level in the basin 8 is thus automatically maintained regardless of the amount of liquid removed from the basin 8 by evaporation. If the delivery of liquid from the receptacle 3 to the basin 8 is found to be too rapid, the. plug valve 12'may be manipulated to effect control of the flow. The rate of evaporation of the liquid may also be controlled by varying the degree of heating of the liquidin the basin 8 and the reservoir 3 may be made of any convenient size suitable for the particular purpose to which the apparatus is to be applied.

It will be obvious that thewicks may be omitted entirely and that the device will perform both cleaning and humdi'fying functions without these-wicks. If the wicks become heavily coated with impurities, they may be readily removed, cleaned and reinserted in order to maintain the apparatus in efiicient operating-condition. The outer casing 8 and the baffle walls 9, 10, 11 as well as the reservoir 3, may be formed of sheet metaland most of the other parts of the apparatus may be formed of standard fittings and connections. The apparatus is entirely automatic in operation and requires no personal attention other than to supply liquid to the reservoir 3 and to remove impurities from the collecting receptacle 13, after being once installed. The apparatus is especially adapted for application to automobiles and tractors and may be readily applied to existing machines. The apparatus is moreover devoid of moving parts which might interfere with normal operation. It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact details of construction and operation herein shown and described, for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to ersons skilled in the art.

t is claimed and desired tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a casing having a liquid basin therein, an annular wall forming a relatively thin annular conduit directed toward the surface of the liquid in said basin, an annular wick formed to withdraw liquid from said basin and disposed within and closely adjacent to said wall, means for admitting gas to said conduit through the upper portion of said casing, and means for'cre ating a suction within said conduit whereby said gas is caused to reverse its direction of flow directly above the surface of'said liquid and to travel along the surfaceof said wick.

2. In combination, a casing having a liquid basin therein, means for heating said liquid,

. an annular wall forming a relat1vely thin annular conduit directly within said casing and directed toward the upper surface 0 the liquid in said basin, means for admitting gas a suction within said casingto cause said gas to flow successively through said conduits.

3. In combination, a casing having a liquid onlyl of said casing, an annular w-ick disposed basin therein, means for automatically maintaining a predetermined level of liquid in saidbasin,'means for heating said liquid, a

being spaced from said liquid to provide aflow reversing passage connecting said conduits directly above said liquid, and means for producing a flow of gas through said inlet conduit, said passage and said discharge conduit in succession.

4. In combination, a casing having a liquid. basin in the lower end thereof and having a cover at the upper end thereof, a plurality 6f annular walls within said casing, alternate ones of said walls having perforations adjacent to said cover and the intermediate walls being spaced from the liquid in said basin to ing passage, means for causing liquid from said basin to travel upwardly along one of said perforated walls to produce a wetted surface, and means for producin a flow of as through said perforations an the spaces Iletween said walls and along said wetted surace.

5. In combination, a casing having a liquid basin therein, an annular wall forming a. relatively thin annular conduit directed toward the surface of the liquid in said basin, an annular member disposed within and closely adjacent to said wall for withdrawing liquid from said basin by capillary attraction, means for admitting gas to said conduit through the upper portion of said casing, and means for creating a suction within said conduit whereby said gas is caused to reverse its direction of flow directly above the surface wall having one side spaced from said casing to form a relatively thin annular inlet con- .105 provide an unobstructed annular flow reversof saidliquid and to travel along the surface .ing to form a relatively thin conduit adjoining said basin and surrounding and disposed with its axis substantially parallel to the axis of said casing, a wick surrounding said axis and extending from within said basin along said conduit for withdrawing liquid by capillary attraction, means for admitting air to said casing-and toward said basin, and means for creating a suction within said conduit to cause said air to reverse its direction of travel directly above said liquid and to subsequently flowithrough said conduit in the direction of the axis thereof and in contact with said wick at all points around said axis. 1 7 In combination, a casing having a vertical axis and a liquid basin, a wall cooperating with said casing to form a relatively thin annular conduit surrounding and having its axis substantially parallel to that of said casing and adjoining the liquid in said basin, a porous member extending from within said basin along said conduit for withdrawing liquid by capillary attraction, means for admitting air to said casing,-and means for creating a 2 suction within said conduit to cause said air to reverse its direction of travel directly above said liquid-and to subsequently flow in the direction of the axis of said conduit and in contact with said member at all points around said axis, v 1 v f In testimony whereof, the. signature of the inventor isafiixed hereto. v ORA F. METZ, 

